Method and apparatus for forming blower wheels



April 18, 1939. E. A. FREED 2,155,264

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING BLOWER WHEELS Filed Jan. 24, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet l r v 'aa FlEl INVENTOR April 18, 1939. E A FR ED 2,155,264

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING BLOWER WHEELS Filed Jan. 24, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Apr. 18, 1939 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORFORMING BLOWER WHEELS Edward A. Freed, Moline, n1.

Application January 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,568v

8 Claims.

My present invention relates to a method and,

apparatus for forming a blower wheel of the type generally used in airblowers. ,The particular design of blower wheel with which this isconcerned includes a plurality of fanblades equidistantly spaced arounda central support-' ing spider and secured in place thereon by a pair ofcylindrical rings which are disposed adjacent the ends thereof. In thisdesign of wheel there are no obstructions to the vends of the blades,since the retaining rings are disposed around the outside of the bladesrather than over the ends of the blades as is the construction in somewheels of this kind.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a structure of thiskind which is adapted to arrange the parts of the blower wheel in theirproper position and the necessary uniform relation to obtain a perfectbalanced wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this typewhich is so designed as to permit the wheel to be easily and quicklyassembled and at a nominal cost.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the structure employed to assemblethe blower wheel, showing the wheel at the beginning of the assemblyoperation with a number of the fan blades mounted in place;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the planeof line 2-2 of-Figure 1.;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the plane of line 33 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1 withall the blades assembled and the holding band and gauge plate securedaround the wheel;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the wheel dismounted from theassembly fixture and showing the end retaining rings secured in placeand the holding band removed; and,

Figure 6 is a view of the complete wheel shown in Figure 5 with thegauge plate removed. A

The blower wheel 5, comprises a plurality of fan blades 6 which areequi-distantly spaced around a central spider and are secured in thisspaced relation by a pair of retaining rings 8 which are disposed aroundthe blades 6 adjacent the outer ends thereof. Each blade 6 is providedintermediate its ends with a notch which V lower side of the wheel aretaining band 33 is engages over the outer edge of the spider l andserves to hold the blade 6 against endwise displacement.

The fixture which I employ to assemble the parts of the blower wheel 5includes a base mem- 5 her II and vertical standards l2 and I3. which.are secured to the base member adjacent the ends thereof. The standardsl2 and |3extend upwardly from the base member ll and-arev provided attheir upper ends with bearing brackets l5 and I6 respectively. Atransverse shaft I1 is journaled in the bearing brackets I5 and I6 andserves to support the blower. Wheel while it is being assembled. v a

To facilitate the proper spacing of the blades 6 while assembling themaround the wheel 5 a pair of assembly jigs 2| are used. Each assemblyjig 2| comprises a pair of spaced circular disks or plates 22 which areheld in spaced relation by means of a cylindrical member 23. The member23 is of a smaller diameter than the periphery of the disks 22 and theedges' of the member 23 are secured to the adjacent face of the disks. Aplurality of notches or slots 25 are provided around the edge of eachdisk 22. These slots are arcuate and so formed as to receive the blades6. The slots25 are equi-dlstantly spaced around the disks 22 to arrangethe blades 6 in proper spaced relation. The disks 22 are positioned intransverse alignment relatively to each other so that the slots 25 ofone disk registers with those of the other disk. A hub 26 is providedcentrally of each jig 2| to adapt it to be mounted on the shaft H.

In the process of assembly of the wheel 5, the spider is first placed onthe shaft I! and an assembly jig 2| is mounted on the shaft at each sideof the spider 1. The jigs 2| are arranged so that the slots 25 of onejig are transversely alignedwith the slots of the other jig and both 40jigs are then secured to the shaft I! by means of set screws 28 whichare provided in the hub members 26. As shown in Figure 1 the jigs 2| arespaced apart so that the distance between their outer faces is slightlyless than the length of the fan blades 6. The blades 6 are then placedin the aligned slots '25 of the jigs 2| with the notch 29, which isformed in the inner edge of the blade and between the ends thereof,seated over the outer edge of the spider 1. As the blades are mounted onthe wheel the wheel is rotated, so that the blades may always be appliedto the wheel at the top thereof. To hold the blades 6 in place as theypass around the 2 employed. The retaining band 33 is disposed centrally'of the blades 8 and is formed of a flexible metal. A hook I is providedon one end of the'band 33 which engages the outer edge of the firstblade. A plurality of pins are spaced along the inner face of the band33 and are so arranged as to engage the outer edges of the succeedingblades. When enough blades 8 are mounted on the jigs 2| to form acomplete wheel the ends of the band 33 are secured together by a bolt36, which extends thru clips 31 secured on the outer face of the band.to retain the blades in place until the rings 8 are mounted over theends of the blades and the blades secured thereto. As the blades 8 areassembled, the wheel 5 is rotated, and to insure its moving the properdistance each time a blade is added, a ratchet wheel ll is fixed ontheend of the shaft I1 and engages a dog 42 which is mounted on thestandard II. The dog 42 is normally held in engagement with a notch inthe ratchet wheel ll by a spring 43 interposed between the standard I!and a finger 44 formed on the dog 2.

After all of the blades 0 have been assembled in the manner describedand the ends of the retaining band 33 are secured together to hold theblades in place, an end rins gauge 46 is then mounted around the wheel 5and secured by latch members 41. The gauge 46 comprises resilientmembers or bands 48 which are disposed in spaced relation by archedspacing members which are riveted or otherwise secured to the membersll. By reason of this construction the gauge 46 may be applied over theretaining band 33. The end rings 8 are then mounted around the ends ofthe blades 6 and in engagement with the adjacent edge of the gauge 46,whereby the rings are arranged so as to produce a perfect balance of thewheel. With the rings I thus held in the proper position they aresecured to the ends of the blades i by spot welding or other means. Whenthe rings 8 have been secured to each of the blades 6 the gauge 46 andretaining band a are removed. The assembly jigs it are then removed fromthe wheel 5 by loosening the set screws 28 and sliding the jig axiallyout of the end of the wheel.

The particular design of my wheel, that is, with a construction whereinthe end rings are secured around the outside of the blades, instead ofabutting the ends thereof as are all other wheels of this type withwhich I am familiar, makesit possible to use an assembly structure ofthis kind. With this design, having no obstructions at the end of theblades, the assembly jigs may be easily removed, simply by sliding themout of the wheel without reducing the size or changing the jigs in anyway. This results in an inexpensive design of jigs and fixtures but onewhich is very effective and satisfactory in operation.

while I have described a specific form of this invention in more or lessdetail, it will be apparent that various additions, omissions andsubstitutions can be made therein without departing from the spirit of vthe appended claims.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for assembling a blower wheel of the type having a centralspider, a plurality of blades and a retaining ring at each end of saidblades, said device comprising a frame, a shaft supported on said frameand adapted to receive said spider.

- a blade assembly jig on said shaft at each side of this invention orthe scope of having openings therein to receivesaidbladeasaidopenihgsbdhilsodisposedasto locate the blades in properposition around the wheel, and a flexible gauge member adapted to bemounted around the wheel after the blades have been assembled to servein locating the ring'members in the proper position until they aresecured to the ends of the blades, said gauge and said assembly jigsbeing removable from the wheel after the wheel is assembled.

2. A device for assembling a blower wheel of the type having a pluralityof blades, and retaining rings provided around the outer edge of saidblade and adjacent the ends thereof, said device comprising a fixtureadapted to support the wheel while it is being assembled, including anassembly jig disposed within said wheel and adapted to arrange saidblades in the proper position, and a gauge for locating the axialposition of the retaining rings, said jig and said gauge adapted to beremoved from said wheel after the parts thereof have been secured inassembled relation.

3. A device for assembling a blower wheel having a plurality of blades,said device including assembly has disposed within said wheel andadapted to support said blades while they are being assembled, said jigsbeing withdrawn as units through the. ends-of the wheel after the bladeshave been secured in place.

4. An apparatus for assembling a blower wheel having a plurality ofblades, comprising noncollapsible assembly jig disposed within saidwheel and about which said blades are assembled, there being noobstruction on either the jig or the wheel to interfere with thewithdrawal of said jig after the parts of the weel are assembled.

5, The method of assembling a blower wheel, comprising first mounting acentral wheel spider on a shaft, next mounting a blade assembly jig onsaid shaft at each side of said spider, then assembling the bladesaround said jigs and looking them in engagement with said spider, thenapplying a gauge member around the blades, next; mounting end retainingrings over the ends of the blades and in contact with said gauge, thensecuring said rings to said blades, and finally reibngving said assemblyjigs and said gauge mem- 6. The method of assembling a blower wheel,comprising first mounting a wheel spider and a blade spacing means on ashaft; next assembling the wheel blades around said spacing means, thenapplying a-gauge member around the blades, next mounting end retainingrings over the ends of the blades and in contact. with said gauge, thensecuring said rings to'said blades, and last removing said blade spacingmeans and said gauge member.

'7. The method of assembling a blower wheel having a central wheelspider and a plurality of fan blades, comprising providing an assemblyjig at each side of the spider within the wheel, mounting the bladesaround the jigs and fastening them in place, and subsequently removingthe assembly jigs axially thru theends of said wheel.

8. The method of assembling a blower wheel, comprising first mounting awheel spider and an assembly jig on a shaft, next assembling the wheelblades around said jig, said blades engaging said spider said spider ata point intermediate their ends,

then mounting end retaining rings over the ends of the blades, thensecuring said rings to said blades, and last removing said jig from saidwheel by axially withdrawing it therefrom.

EDWARD A. FREED.

